Agreement: Objective / Process / Accountability
(TWO GENUINE EXAMPLES)
Agreement #1
Objective / Process / Accountability
(a genuine example)
Client : SME that is hiring four account managers on the road and two telemarketing representatives.
The principal element retained by the Ascension Program (complete diagnosis): The principal element retained by the Ascension Program (complete diagnosis): An almost complete absence of commercial proactivity on the part of all actors/clients. Sales opportunities with current clients were neither being identified nor stimulated. Account managers did no prospecting, the reps did some only occasionally but had no framework in which to work, nor was there any measurement, whilst individual members of the Customer Service team did not participate in sales activities at all. Sales propositions presented were limited to what the client had identified as his own need. There was a consequent loss of sales revenue and an inability for the company to differentiate itself by means of a more complete and innovative solution.
Mandate agreement :
Objectives :
- Increase proactivity in active accounts for account managers (accountability);
- Influence reps so they manage their sales activities more efficiently;
- Create more loyalty among major clients and add a recognized value to the services offered.
Process and methodologt agreed upon:
Planning of different activities in order to alter internal practices. |
Lenght |
|
Communication: specific observations concerning proactivity provided to members at a team meeting.
|
2 hrs
|
|
Design and running of the workshop “Proactivity in Our Accounts”
|
16 hrs
|
|
Definition and identification of the commercial potential of the accounts
|
3 hrs
|
Categorization of accounts according to the new criteria of the potential identified by the team
(value, strategic and monetary potential, etc.). |
8 hrs
|
| Planning (individual) of sales activities by category (creation of proactive sales actions). |
(N/A)
|
|
Meeting on management of territory and agreement for the creation of an individual match plan.
|
3 hrs
|
|
2nd meeting: presentation of match plans by the actors with a group session on strategies.
|
4 hrs
|
|
Coaching (carried out by management) and follow-up on match plans.
|
(N/A)
|
| Formal evaluation: management, team members, consultant. |
4 hrs |
Accountability :
Improvement in the offers :
Measuring the average value of offers six months after launching the process (comparison).
Becoming more proactive :
Measuring (in figures) the number of propositions that are made.
Satisfying strategic clients:
Carrying out two comparative surveys with strategic clients.
Evaluation of returns:
Minimal increase in the value of offers of about 5% and increase in sales growth of 3%, after six months.
Agreement #2
Objective / Process / Accountability
(a genuine example)
Client : SME hiring three account manager on the road to serve the North-American market.
The principal element retained by the Ascension Program (complete diagnosis): Sales costs that were much too high greatly reduced the organization’s commercial returns. Too much effort was being deployed on accounts in which the opportunities were too few. This situation had arisen due to a failure to qualify the clientele and identify its opportunities, as well as a lack of the right kind of personnel to take over sales activities of lesser value. The commercial structure had to be reviewed in order to allow account managers to refocus their sales efforts on the right kind of clients or prospects. It was essential to adapt the team’s norms and objectives in order to stimulate the right kind of actions.
Mandate agreement :
Objectives :
- Incite account managers to focus on the right kinds of sales opportunities;
- Define functions and profile positions (account manager and internal sales);
- Maintain the sales volume and create a more effective structure.
Process and methodology agreed upon:
Planning of different activities in order to install an optimal sales structure;
Maintain the willingness to perform within the account managers’ team, which may lose one player after six months.
|
Lenght |
| Exercise in categorization of clients and the creation of accurate norms in order to evaluate opportunities (with the team). |
12 hrs
|
Creation of an “internal sales” position: mandate, objectives, corrective measures and norms (in concert with management).
|
12 hrs
|
|
Conception of an ideal employee profile for each position: account manager / internal sales;
Utilization of the Prevue Assessment tool to create benchmarks;
Finalize the Prevue analysis for account managers.
|
Package
|
Support for the hiring of an internal sales representative and in-house coaching.
|
12 hrs |
| Creation and implementation of performance indicators for each position, including norms for returns. |
8 hrs
|
|
Coaching and training (management and team) to back up implementation of the structure.
|
24 hrs
|
|
Evaluation after six months and decision on the number of territories allocated to account managers.
(3 territories, or 2)
|
12 hrs
|
Accountability :
Improvement in the offers :
Maintain the cost of sales during the first six months of the year.
Satisfying strategic clients:
Reduce the cost of sales by 10% for the following six months.
Evaluation of returns:
Increase the monthly volume of global sales by at least 5% after six months (to be redefined according to the new structure afterwards).
